Stage cable connecter



Dec. 8, 1931. T. J. AYRl-:s

STAGE CABLE CONNECTER Filed Jan. 2s, 1928 INVENToR. .72mm J A11-E5 BY @@@mw ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1931 1laisses 'I PATENT OFFICE THOMAS J'. AYRES, 0F LS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA STAGE CABLE CONNECTER Application led January 25, 1928. Serial No. 249,435.

My invention relates to cable connecters and more particularly toa type of connecter suitable for stage wiring and the objects4 of my invention are first, to provide a connecter 5 of this type by means of which one or more circuits may be readily made or broken;

second, to provide a device of this class which` when closed is not easily accidentally disengaged; third, to provide a connecter of this class which will not be disengaged by accidental pulling or straining of the cables class which is opened by a relative angular v movement of the plug and receptacle member; seventh, to provide a device of this class which is provided with spring catch means preventing accidental angular movement of the plug and receptacle members which would normally break the contact; eighth,

to provide a device of this class in which a wiping action takes place between the blade and drum contact members in making and breaking the contact thereof; ninth, to provide a device of this class in which relatively large contact surfaces may be accommodated in a relatively small space;.tenth, to provide a device of this class in which the cable ends.

f are rigidly held from displacement by means of the cover concealing the terminal; and eleventh, to provide a device of this class which is efcient, durable, economical of structure, easy to manipulate and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions :is will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which;

Figure l is a perspective view of the receptacle portion of my device; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the plug portion of the device; Fig. 3 is a side view of the receptacle portion with parts and portions broken away and in section in order to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereof along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3 showing the con- 60 tact and cable portionsin elevation; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view thereof along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the plug member showing parts and portions thereof broken away and in section in order to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the plug member taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 showing the contact blades and cable connection in elevation; Fig.

8 is a cross sectional view thereof taken along 70 the line 8 8 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the connecter assembled together showing by dotted lines the position taken by the plug member when the plug and receptacle are being connected.

Similar characters of reference refer to slmilar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The receptacle member l, plug member 2, contact jaws 3, contact blades 4, spring catch 5, covers 6 and 7, terminal screws 8 and 9, and cover screws l() and 11 form the principal parts and portions of my device.

The receptacle member 1 consists of a substantially rectangular block of insulating 35 material, the block bein reduced to about one-half its normal thic ness over one-half its length. The inner transverse wall 1b is tapered outwardly forming a substantially dove-tailed surface. Within the reduced portion la are provided parallel longitudinal spaced apart slots 10 which are adapted to accommodate the jaw contact members 3. The latter may be forced into the slot after the member 1 has been formed or they may be 95 formed in place with the latter. The rear end of the receptacle member 1 is also reduced in thickness to provide space for the cover member 6, the upper surface of the insulating cover being substantially flush with the upper surface of the plug member 1. A transversely disposed cavity 1e is provided in the portion 1d, the depth of this cavity bein approximately equal to the depth of the s ots 1c. A rearwardly extending channel 1f is provided for accommodatin the end of the cable to which the receptac e is to be connected. The cover member 6 is provided with a number of downwardly extendin lateral serrations 6a which are positioned directl over the slot 1g As illustrated in Fig. 4, t e (purpose of t e serrations is to provide a bin ing means for securin the cab any strain rom being placed on the terminal screws 8 and the electrical connections thereto. The aw contact 3 is preferably made of resilient sheet metal such as brass and consists of a relatively long U-shaped portion 3a forming closely spaced contact jaws adapted to fit snugly within the slot 1c and forming a receptacle therein for the reception of the knife blade 4 of the plug member 2. The upper surface of the contact jaw 3 is sunk slightly below the surface of the portion la so that it is impossible to short circuit the contact 3 accidently by bridging across with any conducting means. One arm of the .U- shaped jaw contact is provided with a laterally disposed offset portion 3b extending within the cavity 1e and provided with con' tact screws 8 which serve the purpose of connecting the electric conductors to the coitact 'jaws 3.

In the preferred form illustrated, each ieceptacle 1 is provided with two spring contact jaws 3, although the invention is of course not limited to a double pole connecter. The structure of the plug member 2 is insulating material and follows in general lines that of the member 1. It is provided with a reduced portion 2a of substantially the same size of that of the reduced portion la. The end portion 2b of the reduced portion 2a is beveled in a manner corresponding to the outline of theI surface lb of the receptacle 1 so that when in placing the members 1 and 2 together, end for end, and allowing the reduced portions la and 2a to overlap the beveled end portion 2b will register exactly with the dovetailed portion 1b. Elongated contact blades 4 e'xtendvertically in parallel spaced relation from the surface of the reduced portion 2a. The contact blades 4 are preferably molded in place and are preferably of angular form over the lengt-h of the contact blade portion. The portion 4a which forms the angle with the blade 4 is extended rearwardly, as shown best in Fig. 6, into the cavity 20 and a binding screw 9 is provided at the end of the portion 4a .within the cavity 20. The cavity 2c is also provided with a rearwardly extending channel 2e for accommodating the cable 13, the. conductors of which are connected to the blades 4 by means of the terminal screws 9. A cover member e 12 thereby preventing 7 identical with the cover member 6 previously described is provided for covering the cavity 2c and is also provided with serrations 7a extending laterally over the channel 2e and adapted to bind the cable 13 and prevent movement thereof. In the end of the reduced portion 1a of the member l is provided a spring catch 5 which is adapted to register with an indent 2d positioned in the wall portion 2g1 of the member 2. The upper corner of said wall portion 2g is beveled in line with the indent 2d in order to facilitate the registering of the spring member 5 with indent 2d when connecting the members l and 2 together. It is of course understood that any, other form of catch can he used in place of that shown in the illustration. The object of the catch is to prevent accidental dislocation of the members l and 2 when Vin connected position, the dovetailed joint performing this function for the other abutting end of the members l and 2.

It will be noted that in making and breaking connections, the blades 4 describe an angular movement, resulting in a wiping action between the blades and the jaw contacts 3. This feature results in a clean contact surface being maintained and prevents corrosion and heating of the contact menibers. 95

The relatively long jaws and blades provide for ample contact surface which is also a very important feature of the device.

It is obvious from the construction as illustrated in the drawings and described in 10o the foregoing specification that there is provided a device as aimed at and set forth in the objects of the invention and although I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettcrs Patent is 1. In a detachable cable connecter, a sub- 115 stantially rectangular insulating block having a reduced portion extending from a line intermediate the ends of said block to one end thereof, a forwardly inclined ledge formed along said line, jaw Contact members imbedded in said reduced portion of said block, a second insulating block having a like reduced portion, the outer end of said reduced portion of said second block being bevelled, blade contact members extending upwardly from the surface of the reduced portion of said second block and adapted to register with said jaw contact members, said jaw contact members preventing lengthwise displacement of said blocks when in engagement, and said inclined ledge ada ted to doveta'il with said bevelled end of sai second block. A

2. In a cable connecter, a stepped recepl tacle member, jaw contact members imbedded in the upper face of the lower step portion of said receptacle member, a stepped plug member, blade contact members extending upwardly from the upper face of the l0 lower step portion of said plug member adapted to connect with said jaw contact members, interlocking means on the end of said receptacle member and intermediate the ends of said plug member engageable on pivotal movement of said plug member around the end port-ion of the latter.

3. In a detachable cable connecter,'a pair of end on end disposed cutaway, rectangular insulating members the cutaway portions 2o thereof overlapping, jaw contact members embedded in the contact-ing face of one of said members, blade contact members supported by the contacting portion of said other member and extending into said jaw contact members, the inner end portion of one of said members forming a dovetail joint with the abuting portionof said other member and a releasable catch means on the end of said former member adapted to engage said latter member and prevent accidental disengagement of said contacts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 11th day of January, 1928.

THMAS AYRES. 

